All modern product manufacturers know the right packaging can make-or-break a sale. Research conducted by MarketingProfs suggests that at least one-third of consumers base their purchase decisions on the package, not necessarily the product itself. Attractive packaging draws a customer in. Package elements like typography, color, texture, weight and even smell, can make a product more enticing to potential consumers. The more time your customers spend looking at or interacting with your product, the more likely they are to have a positive association with it, and ultimately, buy it.

Sustainable is the New Stylish

In today’s society, however, it’s not enough to have beautiful, inviting product packaging. Consumers are increasingly concerned with the impact they’re making on the environment. They’re packing reusable shopping bags for grocery store trips, opting for paper versus plastic, and buying in bulk. This behavior is even more prevalent with the millennial generation, where the majority of these consumers recognize the impact that a throwaway culture has had, and are taking steps to reduce their ecological footprint. A recent Quartz article suggests that millennials are even making it “luxe” to be environmentally ethical and aware. High value or high-status brands recognize this, and are now touting the language of eco-consciousness like “organic”, “sustainable” and “ethical”. Sustainable has become the new fashionable.

Balancing Eco-Friendly with Durability

Product manufacturers now have to walk this fine line between style and sustainability, and it’s not always an easy task. Manufacturers require packaging that not only provides a safe barrier from elements like moisture and cold, they also have to ensure that the package will be shelf-stable, that it doesn’t feel flimsy or cheap, and has the ability to reproduce those impactful visual elements that consumers gravitate to. Historically, in the packaging world, words like “eco-friendly”, “recyclable”, or “biodegradable” have been synonymous with diminished quality, not luxury goods.

Luckily, the flexible packaging industry is constantly innovating to address both manufacturer and consumer concerns around quality and sustainability. Emmerson Packaging’s products like SmartPack™, SmartPack-BDG™, and PetPack-BDG™ take eco-friendly to new heights. With these products, you don’t have to choose between style, quality, and a smaller environmental footprint. They offer comparable machinability and shelf-life you would expect from a regular polyethylene package.

Change Comes From Innovation

SmartPack™ sustainable packaging uses innovative energy-curing technology, reducing the number of films required for a given package. This volatile organic compound (VOC)-free process represents a significant breakthrough in packaging reduction and sustainability, and it’s been recognized as an industry best. SmartPack-BDG™ and PetPack-BDG™ are both produced with processes that allow your customers to dispose of these packages in their regular garbage. They will then biodegrade in the landfill leaving behind only biomass and methane gas. These products give consumers the environmental sustainability they’re seeking, with the convenience and quality they expect from a premium product.

Sustainable packaging is only the beginning at Emmerson Packaging. We’re fully committed to our green operations and have been recognized for our sustainable initiatives as well as our products. We are the first flexible packaging company in North America to achieve the ISO-14001 designation, we’re a certified SGP printer, and we are constantly identifying new ways to reduce our impact on the environment. Your eco-conscious consumers will appreciate the support of green practices from the top down, and you can feel great about the impact you’re making by choosing sustainable packaging.

Learn more about Emmerson Packaging’s commitment to environmental protection, and if you’d like to start a conversation about how green and sustainable packaging can make a positive impact on your business, contact us about your project today.